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NordVPN – Best For Mobile Users
Current Offer: 68% off + 3 months free!
Highlights:
- 5,000+ servers in 60+ countries
- Connect up to 6 devices under the same subscription
- No data or bandwidth limits
- 24/7 customer support
- An ultra-fast connection
NordVPN Reviews and Ratings
Rated 4.4 stars out of 5 by over 5,000 customers on Trustpilot
NordVPN is a great choice for mobile users as they have a very user friendly app available on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
Your subscription will cover 6 devices so you can download the app on your phone and still have the ability to protect other devices such as your laptop and tablet.
Another key thing to note about Nord is their responsive support team – they’re available around the clock to answer any questions you may have about the platform and are usually very prompt with their replies.
They also have some great guides that explain how you can quickly get started with their app for Apple and Android users.
If you’re still deciding on what VPN platform best suits your needs, feel free to check out our article on the Best VPNs for Canadians.
Try NordVPN RISK-FREE for 30 days:
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The Best VPN for iPhone and Android
The importance of having a VPN on your PC or laptop is getting clearer and clearer – but have you considered that your phone remains unprotected if you’re not using a VPN for it?
The mobile communications industry has grown exponentially over the last ten years, and today, almost everyone has a smartphone or tablet device.
It’s a convenience none of us can do without, and most of us feel like we lose an appendage if we can’t find our phone.
But it’s surprising that so many people leave their devices unprotected.
Most people just don’t understand their phone’s technicalities, and they might not even be aware that they need a VPN to protect the device.
Do you need a VPN for your phone? Is it worth installing one on your device?
Let’s walk through everything you need to know about using a VPN on your Android or iOS device.
What is the Difference between a Mobile VPN vs a Regular VPN?
The top VPN providers will allow you to connect multiple devices on your account including your mobile devices.
At its core, a mobile VPN provides the same functions as your standard VPN service.
Its primary task is to encrypt your data transmissions and hide your IP address while surfing or downloading online.
However, with a mobile VPN, you get a program specifically designed to perform in the mobile operating system and the wireless realm’s challenging environment.
When using a mobile VPN, you get a seamless browsing experience with excellent session persistence.
As a result, the VPN provides a reliable user experience.
This experience stays consistent when the devices switch between networks or move in and out of the coverage area.
Mobile VPNs use advanced data compression, providing peak performance in wireless networks with lower bandwidth availability than conventional VPNs.
Mobile VPNs also use less processing power and have a smaller memory footprint than conventional VPNs.
Therefore, they are by no means a large drain on your battery and they don’t disrupt other apps’ operation on your mobile device.
Why Use a Mobile VPN?
Conventional VPNs are designed for use on home or business networks.
These networks feature low latency and high bandwidth, and data loss primarily occurs through congestion.
Mobile devices also have connectivity issues when the device moves in and out of coverage range or roams.
If you run a business where your employees connect to your network from remote locations, a mobile VPN offers the best solution.
The mobile VPN gives your employees a “wired-in” experience, providing a user-experience with seamless access to apps as your users access different networks and move around online.
With a mobile VPN solution for your business, your staff can focus on the task at hand rather than network issues.
Do I Need a VPN on my iPhone or Android Device?
Yes, a VPN is necessary to protect your mobile device if you are concerned about your privacy.
When was the last time you sat down at a Starbucks or McDonalds for a bite and logged onto the store’s free Wi-Fi?
Chances are you do it all the time at various locations and never stop to consider the potential downside to your actions.
VPNs are available for download to Apple and Android devices for an affordable monthly subscription.
Let’s look at some of the benefits of using a VPN on your phone.
Benefits of Using a VPN on My Phone
1. Hide Location Data
Your phone is tracking everywhere you go online and offline.
If you’re tired of handing location data over to Big Tech companies, a mobile VPN protects your movements.
Log onto your VPN, and select a variety of server locations in any country or your own.
Most VPN providers offer server locations in more than 190 countries, giving you various choices when browsing and downloading online.
2. Stop Hackers on Public Wi-Fi
A mobile VPN protects your phone from any bad actors in the store in our coffee shop scenario.
A hacker could be sitting in the corner, collecting transaction information through people’s payment apps.
With a VPN on your phone, the hacker cannot intercept your personal data and steal your information.
They won’t even recognize your connection on the network, making you invisible to their prying eyes.
3. Protect Your Online Banking App
Do you conduct banking through an app on your phone?
That’s not a great idea if you’re not using a VPN.
Hackers can use all sorts of tactics to discover the password to your accounts.
With a mobile VPN, your banking details and your money stay safe from those that shouldn’t have them.
A VPN also prevents fraudsters from accessing your information to steal your identity.
4. Encrypt Your Texts
Do you ever wonder if anyone can read your text messages?
Bad actors can get into your phone and read your texts.
With a mobile VPN, you don’t ever have to worry about someone intercepting your messages.
5. Encrypt Calls
Keep your phone calls secure, and prevent people from eavesdropping on your conversations with a mobile VPN.
The dedicated app ensures calls stay private between you and the party you have called.
6. Stop Ad Tracking
From Google to Facebook and all other companies in between, advertising is big business.
Some tech companies and other large corporations track your digital footprint, collecting your data to sell to advertisers for a profit.
If you’re tired of ads popping up in your social feeds and on websites, a VPN can help.
VPNs filter out the ads, ensuring you get an ad-free experience online.
7. Create a Secure Connection
A mobile VPN creates an encrypted connection between your phone and the internet.
You’ll never have to worry about hackers stealing your information again.
If you’d like to explore more benefits of a VPN you can check out our in-depth list here.
5 Factors to Consider when Choosing a Mobile VPN Provider
So, what do you look for when trying to find the best mobile VPN provider?
There are plenty of service providers, and each of them has a different offering.
We recommend looking for providers that let you add multiple devices to your account.
This feature enables you to connect more than one phone or tablet to your VPN account.
While this feature is important, there are many others you need to look at when choosing the right mobile VPN provider.
1. The Size of the VPN Network
The provider’s network ultimately decides your device performance using the VPN.
The best mobile VPN providers offer multiple server locations in different locations throughout a country.
With more servers, you get a faster connection.
You also have more location options when choosing your IP.
More servers also ensure lower latency on the network, improving the performance of your connection.
2. No-logging Policies
Your provider must have a strict “No Logs” policy.
Your log refers to what you do online.
The VPN provider should not keep any logs of your online activities.
This feature is a critical point.
3. World-Class Customer Service
If things go wrong with your VPN, you need a reliable support team to handle your issue and resolve it.
4. Top-Class Security and Encryption
Look for mobile VPN providers offering AES encryption protocol with 256-bit encryption keys.
This setup makes it almost impossible for anyone to capture your data.
5. User-Friendly Experience
Make sure your VPN comes with a user-friendly interface that’s intuitive and easy to figure out.
How to Setup a VPN on Mobile?
1. Installing Your Mobile VPN
Download the app from the Google Play or Apple App Store.
2. Setting Up Your Mobile VPN
Follow the prompts on your screen to install and setup the app.
3. Turn on the VPN
Use the toggle switch on your phone to switch the VPN on.
4. Switch Severs
Change your server to your ideal location.
5. Advanced User Setup
Select additional protocols to suit your encryption method.
In Closing:
A VPN Only Encrypts Internet Data
Any form of data not utilizing a cellular or Wi-Fi connection is not connected to the internet and does not travel through the internet.
Therefore, your mobile VPN doesn’t encrypt standard voice calls and texts through your mobile carrier.
If you want to encrypt your calls, you’ll have to switch to a VOIP solution (Voice Over Internet Protocol).
Apps like Zoom and Skype use the internet for direct calling, and you can encrypt messages on your iPhone by using Apple’s iMessage or the Android RCS message service.
A mobile VPN is the ideal choice for protecting your conversations when using third-party chat apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.
If you are looking for comprehensive coverage of all the devices in your home or office, you may want to consider using a VPN router which protects ALL devices connected to your network including things like TVs and cameras which normally can’t benefit from VPNs.
Look for Social Proof
There are dozens of VPN providers out there, and they all promise a similar service.
Make sure you read through the terms and conditions before signing up with any VPN service.
We recommend looking around online for social proof on Facebook and Twitter.
If you’re considering purchasing a service from a leading provider, chances are people are talking about it on Twitter.
Search the hashtag of your provider, and see what people think about the service.
A VPN provider is only as good as its policy page.
Make sure the company doesn’t log and store your session data.
Make sure you’re dealing with a provider that puts your interests first.
